Few First Stories

Me: How's school Iris?
Iris: Tadi ada monster datang kat sekolah Iris, Mummy!

I was like, what?

Then the teacher approached me.

Teacher: Akak, Iris nak join taekwando class tak?
Me: Of course!

It is Master, not Monster.

Read aloud: Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed

It is about the colony of the naked mole rats which dislike to dress up, except Wilbur.  He likes to get dress because then he can be a clown, an astronaut, a cowboy and a non-naked mole.  But his friends did't like the idea of dressing up.  So they went to see their Grand-pah, the oldest, wisest, and most naked mole rat ever. It turned out that their Grand-pah loves the invention and since then, all the naked mole rats get dressed!  To be honest, this book is somewhat a struggle to finish.  Yes, it does have a good illustration and story line, but looking at these naked mole, I seemed to "Aduhai, page berapa-lah tikus ni nak pakai baju." I can teach the girls about clothing; pants, shirt, shoes, tie, underwear, bow, hat, mitten, gloves, and tuxedo.  Guess who likes this book the most?  Iesha.  She-is-a-fun-girl!

Another date to remember

Iris will start her first school experience tomorrow.  I had my usual anxiety disorder last night, "Abang rasa tak cepat sangat ke Iris masuk tadika?", and he answered a short no.  If not of Iris's eagerness to read, I will register her next two years straight to Standard 1.

Oh Allah, I hope this will be a good start for her, for us, and for all.  And oh, for You!

Funny Iris

Read aloud: Thumbelina

Thumbelina is just another fairy tale loved by my girls, besides Cinderella and Snow White.  This book retold by Bryan Alderson and illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline.  The story is still retaining Andersen's details, and so you'll find out Renaissance's kind of words.  Besides its' beautiful illustration, the story is kind of jumble here and there.  We definitely need to read the whole story by Hans Christian Andersen.  This retold version heightens the role of the swallow a bit, rather than Thumbelina herself.  But huzzah the illustration!  You can feel the easy breezy pace on each page.  Tell you that I'm not fond of old fairy tales.  I seriously feel that they were created to correct the morale of the people at that particular time.  It is more a social satire to me.  As it happens, most of the story will be having a "The king and queen gave birth to a beautiful baby girl", which isn't saying much that all babies are cute.  Like in the Snow White, she hadn't been killed by the hunstman ordered by Elthel June.  Perhaps she was a flirt and besides, the hunstman was only human, and what's more, a male.  And a name Snow White?  She would be teased up regularly from kindy to fifth grade. I'd rather choose books authored by Mo Willems, Eric Carle, Michael Rosen, Oliver Jeffers, and all books from goodword.com and Learning Roots. I'm not being critical, but giving view from my corrupted mind.  Just so, I'm still reading this version with all my hearts.  Iris loves the maybugs, while Iesha wishes she's a spider making wedding dress to Thumbelina.  (Like seriously, getting married while you are a fifth grader?)

That's where it all started, said the swallow.

Rek-kek-kek-kek!

Listen to your heart

I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree, ...
And I shall have some peace there, ...for always
night and day I hear lake water lapping with low sounds
by the shore; While I stand on the roadway, or on the
pavements gray, I hear it in the deep heart's core."

-William Butler Yeats, "The Lake Isle of Innisfree"

Playing Dead

Last night, I was happened to play dead to test the girls' loves to me.  I said to them, "Iris, Iesha jadi anak yang baik.  Nanti Iris, Iesha tolong Bapak okay.  Mummy dah nak pergi syurga." (See how Malay drama has corrupted my mind).  I kept my body still and closed my eyes.

I heard Iris said with a true sad tone, "Mummy jangan mati.  Iris sayang Mummy." Okay Iris loves me.
Checked.

I managed to play dead for 2 minutes until suddenly Iesha dug my eyes and I can't stop laughing.  Was she making a hypothesis that a dead man will have dilated pupils?  Brilliant.

We all laughed our hearts out.  We still have each other.  I know we have to be careful for what we wish for, and so I wish for a long and happy life!

Welcome 2013!

In 2013, I reclaim my health.  In 2013, I reclaim my health. In 2013, I reclaim my health. (Eh nak azam ke tak nak ni?)

Read aloud: Rosie's Walk

Rosie is a hen.  She leaves the chicken coop and sets for a walk.  A fox slyly following her and she doesn't seem to notice about it. Unwittingly, she leads him into one disaster after another.  This is a good book to teach preposition to the children.  Rosie goes across, over, past, through and under.  The girls enjoy this book so much as they get thrilled to what will happen next to the fox.  To add extra excitement, all you need to do is exaggerate your gestures and speech while reading.  (Trust me, if you are depressed with "life not treating you good", read aloud a storybook to the kids calms you.  You can scream as loud as you can, and cry a river if you feel to.)  Our version comes with audio CD, so the girls can listen while they flip the book.  Our favorite post-reading activity is that we would search for the book in the YouTube to watch the animated version of the story.  

Quick Updates

Iris 

• She loves drawing so much.
• She would pretend reading whenever I haven't time for it.
• She loves baking.
• She can recite Doa Belajar and RobbiShrohli.
• She manages to follow Bapak solat from start until salam.
• She loves bubbles.
• She loves cat.  She will hug a strayed-kurap cat.  An animal lover.
• Her vocabulary is growing.  
• She can write her name.
• Speak clearly using one sentence.
• She wakes up 6.15am every morning and bathes before go to school.

Iesha

• She can recite Doa Makan with the translation.
• She manages to off-diapers when she's at school during daytime.  She seldom do this at home.
• She loves imitate what Iris does and says.
• She takes time to get along with guests and strangers.  People would see her as a shy girl, no, she's a whole lot of fun and talks a lot. I really mean a lot.
• She loves bubbles.
• Her vocabulary is growing.
• She fears of cats.
• A sensitive girl.
• She can draw sun and rainbow.
• She can count up to ten.
• She knows primary colors. 
• She can dress and undress without much help.
• Her favorite line is "Oh my god!".  She said she learnt this at school.  

Iyra

• She has her first upfront tooth on November 2012.  Now she has four.
• She can stand alone.
• She can use everyday items correctly, including a spoon, telephone and hairbrush, although her aim with these things is not perfect.
• She still breastfeeding, but last month she started her first Pediasure as an extra milk since she's a Thumbelina baby.
• She eats like a giant.
• Fond of her Bapak.  Would sulk easily if Bapak shows no interest towards her.